John Harrison Wilson, The life of Charles Henry Dana

While living at Buffalo, he chose his special friends from the doctors, lawyers, teachers, and law students, a dozen or so of whom united with him in forming the Coffee Club, the object of which was mutual improvement in literature. It met weekly at the houses of such members as had houses, and at such other places as might be rented by those who had none. Original and selected essays were read, discussed, and referred to the scribe. How long this society was in existence is not known, but that it held together for several years is evident from Dana's correspondence with James Barrett, who was at that time a law student in the office of Deacon James Crocker, a rising lawyer of Buffalo. The Rev. Mr. Hosmer, Dr. Austin Flint, and John S. Brown, head of the principal school of the city, were also members, and all became intimate with Dana, but Flint and Barrett were his special friends, and to them we are indebted for correspondence which casts a light upon Dana's plans and mental development.

On April 1, 1839, Dana wrote from Buffalo to Barrett about the delights and the pranks of the day, and also the occupations and plans of several of their friends, and added:

As for myself, I labor daily at my studies, almost like a wanderer in a desert land, without guide save here and there a defaced and time-worn finger-post wherefrom he may gather somewhat of information, but no certain intelligence of his locality, or accurate knowledge of the path lying before him. And yet do I advance with a stout heart and unwavering determination, fearing not but that I shall at last arrive at the end of my toilsome journey. Some fears of pecuniary difficulties, with which at your departure I was oppressed, have vanished; an arrangement is about to be concluded by which I shall have at my command four hundred dollars per year, so that I shall be above want.... I commence this morning at the biographical part of the Greek Reader.